March Hatch-A-Long

[cppeace]

It's air cell size throughout hatch that causes either lack of room or not enough air to hatch. The air cell doesn't have to be perfect but needs to be close to hatch properly

 

[Merrymouse]

Ok, Im rethinking my candling saga from day 7. I watched a ton of youtube videos and I think maybe most of mine were in fact fertile. I just didnt know what I was doing. First I thought I only had seconds to look at them so I didn't really take enough time to look closely. I didn't see any veining so I figured they were duds and quickly put them back in. But most of my shells are dark so veining would be hard to see anyway. But I had my hubby video it and looking back I can see air cells and big very dark blobs like on one half-ish of the eggs. I think this might mean they are fertile after all. Im so dumbI think I may have one that wasn't fertile because I think I remember one being clearish all the way through but I didn't video that one so not sure. Anyway I think I will recandle them around day 10-12 and video it again....heres hoping it was newbie error and my chicks are developing...

 

[Peep_Show]

I use a Cool-Lite egg candler in a dark room -- well, actually the room where the incubator is when there's no light, so it's dark. I don't even take the eggs out of the turner and just place the candler on the top of the air cell. At 9-10 days you should be able to discern vein webbing up at the edge of the air cell...sometimes by color and sometimes by texture. Those eggs that don't have any webwork get a closer inspection with taking the egg out of the tray and scoping. This has worked well for me for those impossibly dark Marans and OE eggs. I will candle again with the candler on the air cell at 15 days (if I remember) and at lockdown getting rid of any clears and blood rings early-on. Try not to disturb and manhandle your eggs too much.

 

[Nekopan]

@Merrymouse
As a fellow first timer, I would really suggest waiting until day 14 to candle again. At that point it is really obvious who’s developing and who’s not. I tried to video a couple of my eggs but it was too dark. If you’re unsure you can always post pictures here for advice!

My eggs go into lockdown tomorrow, with hatch day on Saturday! I can’t wait for the peeping to begin!

 

[Welshchick]

Hey, I'm setting 42 eggs on Thursday 7th or Friday 8th March. Mixture of Pekin bantams and Silkie bantams so am joining the Hatchalong! I've not hatched since May 2018 and have now sold those birds. Excited for the new journey xx

 

[cppeace]

This should be a hopefully very fruitful hatch-along

 

[Stick Chicken]

No fertile eggs...
Set 8 large Cornish eggs in place today.

I'm sorry about your eggs, but don't give up. Two years ago, I had tried over a dozen eggs before any were fertile and hatched.

 

[Stick Chicken]

Ok, Im rethinking my candling saga from day 7. I watched a ton of youtube videos and I think maybe most of mine were in fact fertile. I just didnt know what I was doing. First I thought I only had seconds to look at them so I didn't really take enough time to look closely. I didn't see any veining so I figured they were duds and quickly put them back in. But most of my shells are dark so veining would be hard to see anyway. But I had my hubby video it and looking back I can see air cells and big very dark blobs like on one half-ish of the eggs. I think this might mean they are fertile after all. Im so dumbI think I may have one that wasn't fertile because I think I remember one being clearish all the way through but I didn't video that one so not sure. Anyway I think I will recandle them around day 10-12 and video it again....heres hoping it was newbie error and my chicks are developing...

Incubating and hatching eggs is a learning experience, but at least it's fun and you can get a reward(chicks) if successful. You'll have it down in a couple more hatches(trust me, there will be more hatches. You won't be able to stop)

 

[Spartan22]

Speaking of candling, I might have 2-3 eggs non fertile-candled @day 8, decided to put it back to be candled on day 15th. We’ll see if these 4 roosters are doing their jobs, Last spring I had great fertility rate, therefore great hatches, with Don Quixote-the Black Copper Marans. He was beautiful, excellent with his hens and a definite alpha male but had to retire young to Iceland.

 

[Ranchwithaview]

My accurite reached 106 at some point between 11am and 1pm but was turned down at 1pm when seen at 104 and been back at 102 since. Hopefully didn't kill any.

That happened to me last incubation. The three eggs seemed to develop normally, but only one hatched. The other two were fully developed, but didn't hatch. One pipped and possibly drown. The other didn't pip. Hopefully, yours do great.